Sutton London Borough Council

History

The London Borough of Sutton and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963, with the first election held in 1964. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's three outgoing authorities, being the municipal borough councils of Sutton and Cheam and Beddington and Wallington, and the urban district council of Carshalton. The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.

The council's full legal name is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Sutton".

From 1965 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by the Greater London Council. The split of powers and functions meant that the Greater London Council was responsible for "wide area" services such as fire, ambulance, flood prevention, and refuse disposal; with the boroughs (including Sutton) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Sutton has been a local education authority since 1965. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the London Boroughs, with some services provided through joint committees.

Since 2000 the Greater London Authority has taken some responsibility for highways and planning control from the council, but within the English local government system the council remains a "most purpose" authority in terms of the available range of powers and functions.

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation, and has the powers and functions of a London borough council. It sets council tax and as a billing authority also collects precepts for Greater London Authority functions and business rates. It sets planning policies which complement Greater London Authority and national policies, and decides on almost all planning applications accordingly. It is a local education authority and is also responsible for council housing, social services, libraries, waste collection and disposal, traffic, and most roads and environmental health.

Political control

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since 1990.

The first election was held in 1964, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1965. Political control of the council since 1965 has been as follows:

Leadership

The role of Mayor of Sutton is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1965 have been:

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:

The next election is due in 2026.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 20 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Wards

1. Beddington (3)
2. Belmont (3)
3. Carshalton Central (3)
4. Carshalton South & Clockhouse (3)
5. Cheam (3)
6. Hackbridge (2)
7. North Cheam (3)
8. South Beddington & Roundshaw (3)
9. St Helier East (2)
10. St Helier West (3)
11. Stonecot (2)
12. Sutton Central (3)
13. Sutton North (3)
14. Sutton South (3)
15. Sutton West & East Cheam (3)
16. The Wrythe (3)
17. Wallington North (3)
18. Wallington South (3)
19. Worcester Park North (2)
20. Worcester Park South (2)

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on St Nicholas Way in the centre of Sutton. The building was purpose-built for the council in phases between 1972 and 1975. In 2022 the council announced plans to develop a new headquarters on part of the site of the St Nicholas Shopping Centre on the High Street.

References

References

1. "Council appoints Sutton's Mayor for 2025/26 at its annual meeting".
2. (14 February 2019). "Sutton Council set to appoint Helen Bailey as new chief executive". Your Local Guardian.
3. {{cite legislation UK
4. Youngs, Frederic. (1979). "Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England". Royal Historical Society.
5. "Baseline Agreement".
6. {{cite legislation UK. (1985)
7. Leach, Steve. (1998). "Local Government Reorganisation: The Review and its Aftermath". Routledge.
8. "Council Tax and Business Rates Billing Authorities". Council Tax Rates.
9. "Local Plan Responses – within and outside London". Mayor of London.
10. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
11. "London Boroughs Political Almanac: London Borough of Sutton".
12. (17 October 2002). "Council chief steps down". News Shopper.
13. "Council minutes, 18 November 2002".
14. (11 April 2012). "Sutton Council leader Sean Brennan to step down". Your Local Guardian.
15. "Council minutes, 21 May 2012".
16. (12 March 2024). "Ruth Dombey will stand down as Sutton Council leader". Your Local Guardian.
17. "Council minutes, 20 May 2024".
18. "Elections 2022: Sutton election result". BBC News.
19. "Sutton". Thorncliffe.
20. {{cite legislation UK. (2020)
21. (16 November 2022). "Sutton Council plans to sell offices and move to High Street". Your Local Guardian.
22. "Sutton Civic and Town Centre Regeneration".